JoeCanuck
General Section => Customs => Topic started by: RedSkullz on December 13, 2010, 12:21:44 AM
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Hi guys
I am wondering if there would be interest in custom scenery for display purposes for GI Joe figures? WHat i am thinking right off the bat is a cobra hooded throne/chair for cobra commander...it would be a multipiece model made out of resin.
Battlefields made of polystyrene could also be done, but would be one of a kind.(cant cast anything that big)
Would there be any demand for stuff like this?
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i'd love some, but it'd probably be well beyond my meagre budget.
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Do you have Pics and a possible price for what this would cost?
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I have not made the chair yet...i want to guage interest before i put in the hideous amount of effort to make anything. You can check out examples of my 25mm scenery and custom paintjobs here.
http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t238/Red_Skullz/ (http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t238/Red_Skullz/)
Most of the painted miniatures are cast by reaper, wotc and games workshop. I have been sculpting 25mm furniture and other dungeon accessories, and definitely think that the commander chair is definietly doable. As for cost of the chair, i cant say at this point how much i would sell them for.(i'd be basing the cost on material cost, casting time) Just a rough estimate would be in the neighbourhood of $40 to $50.
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their would be intrest for sure, but what is the costs going to be like?
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My opinion:
Is there interest? Yes, people will always say they are interested.......but.....
Is there a willingness to pay a $40-$50 price point?? I'd say possibly, with the qualifier that it depends upon quality and the "value for the dollar" present in the kit--but probably not in numbers that would make the project viable over the long term.
There's a lot of adjutant accessories items that are desired for G.I.Joe/COBRA that have never been made in scale. The COBRA throne is one of them. Battlefield diorama items are often asked for but its the SPECIFIC items that no-one can seem to agree on?
Bunkers? Emplacements? Observation posts? Lots of possibilities.
The right one will reach out to a lot of imaginations and fuel interest and demand. The one that might be a great set on its own, but that doesn't grab people.....can kill the whole exercise in a single blow.
Putting effort into something that doesn't sell.......even if people ASK for it......just murders any continuing incentive.
So, therein lies the risk.
The other thing is that when it comes to putting money where the mouth is.......a LOT of collectors are fickle AND cheap. A $50 resin kit.....even an exceptional one with well-fitting parts, and great detail.....is a tough sell. A lot of people cry for such things from the rooftops, but when the sets are made and its time to step up and order with real cash money.........you hear excuses like......." Oh, I can't paint" or " I don't know how to build resin kits" etc. That or " this kit only has 6 parts and you want $40 for it????".
Its heart-breaking to the well-intentioned creator.
But all that said.......
I think the adventurous creator, who is willing to take a risk, and can produce quality, detailed items........has an unlimited playing field in front of them.
Even if all you do is think small kits.......
There's the aforementioned COBRA Throne
-a Brain-wave Scanner
-new cupola for the original/25th HISS tank, with modified weapons.
-new weapons for the new POC HISS tank, or some of the other vehicles with the new peg-hole system.
-small items like gear to be stowed on the new VAMP, like bedrolls, jerry cans, ammo crates. etc.
-a "war" table for the Joes--a status/map board like computerized table top console, like would be found in the PITT.
Maybe items to take a G.I.Joe vehicle and turn it into a diorama...........such as a display base with a partially buried fuel bladder, so the display can be about replenishment. Maybe even just a section of ruined wall, with printed posters for a COBRA Embassy ( or a US one for that matter). Something simple that can be the launching point for those with skills, or can be a relatively quick and simple display for anyone that can glue two parts together and wield a paint brush.
Obviously, size means more casting materials and means more cost...but lots of ideas are possible.
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Thanks for the posts guys...lots of ideas from your post arrow. Thanks! For now i would concentrate on smaller items (Cobra throne being the largest) since costs of making larger scenic bases would be quite pricey.
My opinion:
Is there interest? Yes, people will always say they are interested.......but.....
Is there a willingness to pay a $40-$50 price point?? I'd say possibly, with the qualifier that it depends upon quality and the "value for the dollar" present in the kit--but probably not in numbers that would make the project viable over the long term.
There's a lot of adjutant accessories items that are desired for G.I.Joe/COBRA that have never been made in scale. The COBRA throne is one of them. Battlefield diorama items are often asked for but its the SPECIFIC items that no-one can seem to agree on?
Bunkers? Emplacements? Observation posts? Lots of possibilities.
The right one will reach out to a lot of imaginations and fuel interest and demand. The one that might be a great set on its own, but that doesn't grab people.....can kill the whole exercise in a single blow.
Putting effort into something that doesn't sell.......even if people ASK for it......just murders any continuing incentive.
So, therein lies the risk.
The other thing is that when it comes to putting money where the mouth is.......a LOT of collectors are fickle AND cheap. A $50 resin kit.....even an exceptional one with well-fitting parts, and great detail.....is a tough sell. A lot of people cry for such things from the rooftops, but when the sets are made and its time to step up and order with real cash money.........you hear excuses like......." Oh, I can't paint" or " I don't know how to build resin kits" etc. That or " this kit only has 6 parts and you want $40 for it????".
Its heart-breaking to the well-intentioned creator.
But all that said.......
I think the adventurous creator, who is willing to take a risk, and can produce quality, detailed items........has an unlimited playing field in front of them.
Even if all you do is think small kits.......
There's the aforementioned COBRA Throne
-a Brain-wave Scanner
-new cupola for the original/25th HISS tank, with modified weapons.
-new weapons for the new POC HISS tank, or some of the other vehicles with the new peg-hole system.
-small items like gear to be stowed on the new VAMP, like bedrolls, jerry cans, ammo crates. etc.
-a "war" table for the Joes--a status/map board like computerized table top console, like would be found in the PITT.
Maybe items to take a G.I.Joe vehicle and turn it into a diorama...........such as a display base with a partially buried fuel bladder, so the display can be about replenishment. Maybe even just a section of ruined wall, with printed posters for a COBRA Embassy ( or a US one for that matter). Something simple that can be the launching point for those with skills, or can be a relatively quick and simple display for anyone that can glue two parts together and wield a paint brush.
Obviously, size means more casting materials and means more cost...but lots of ideas are possible.
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Is there interest? Yes, people will always say they are interested.......but.....
Even if all you do is think small kits.......
There's the aforementioned COBRA Throne
-a Brain-wave Scanner
-new cupola for the original/25th HISS tank, with modified weapons.
-new weapons for the new POC HISS tank, or some of the other vehicles with the new peg-hole system.
-small items like gear to be stowed on the new VAMP, like bedrolls, jerry cans, ammo crates. etc.
-a "war" table for the Joes--a status/map board like computerized table top console, like would be found in the PITT.
Some good ideas above.
My personal opinion...
Is there interest? yes
Is there interest at a pice point of $40-$50? I don't think so. If people have a choice between a custom throne and a pricely "official" item off their want list I think they'll usually go want list. Or in cases like myself, that's just too high for me to justify the item.
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Were going to build the Cobra throne for yourself anyway or were you just trying to get ideas? The only throne I've seen is the 12" Sideshow one for $200, I have never seen one for the 3.75" figures.
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I see what you are saying for sure grunt...it sure is hard trying to compete with china's $.50-$1 an hour wages while living in north america.
I do want to make one for myself regardless, but if i was to make some for sale the whole process would be much different than making only one.(one would be a one piece model made from likely styrofoam, while the throne made for casting would have to be multipiece of a suitable material for moldmaking)
I have seen the 12" one and is it nice! But as stated it is no good for 3 3/4" figure dioramas, which is what i want to gear the one i am making toward.
I think i am going to go for it anyways, and hopefully i can recoup at least the cash back for the materials and a bit extra for my time. SO far i have only posted about this on this site(which is small compared to hisstank or yojoe), so hopefully there will be enough interested parties that will want one.
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http://www.build-a-rama.com/catalog_joes.shtml (http://www.build-a-rama.com/catalog_joes.shtml)
http://www.build-a-rama.com/joes/JOE-007/JOE-007.shtml (http://www.build-a-rama.com/joes/JOE-007/JOE-007.shtml)
Has a Throne Chair for 10 dollars, that might be a good way to help gauge a cost of a full base. I recall lots of people actually bought that one when it first came out.
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http://www.build-a-rama.com/catalog_joes.shtml (http://www.build-a-rama.com/catalog_joes.shtml)
http://www.build-a-rama.com/joes/JOE-007/JOE-007.shtml (http://www.build-a-rama.com/joes/JOE-007/JOE-007.shtml)
Has a Throne Chair for 10 dollars, that might be a good way to help gauge a cost of a full base. I recall lots of people actually bought that one when it first came out.
That's the one I was thinking of. Saw it via Yojoe.com. That's what determines price pont for me.
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Well thats that i guess...not much point in making something thats already been made.(though i was planning on making the throne from the cartoons/comics with the cobra head that enshrouds the commander) I have no idea how he makes any money off them at that price...i would think just the resin would cost nearly that.
I am realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly beginning to think that miniature making is a complete waste of time and effort. :(